Last time I measured my A1C it was 5.4 (Sept 17) and now 4/18 it is 5.5. My goal is to get it into the 4’s. Thank you!
All this work and I would like to see it moving down!
What would you say is the biggest thing you did to lower your A1C? Mine is at 5.5 up from 5.4 Thanks
brownfat
(Todd Allen)
#2
Mine came down slowly while losing weight eating keto, but when my weight loss stalled and I started fasting my A1C plummeted. Not sure it was the fasting though I don’t know what else to blame it on.
rslaughter1960
(Renee Slaughter)
#3
I found a very interesting online article that explained why low carbers may see a small rise in A1C levels. I’m so sorry I don’t have the reference. The gist of the article had to do with the life cycle of red blood cells. On keto for a while the blood cells seem to live longer than as a sugar burner. 80 days as opposed to 120 days as a fat burner. The sugar attaches to these longer lived cells and registers as a higher A1C. Again I apologise I do not have a link to this article. But maybe someone smarter than I have ran across this short article an can chime in.
OldDoug
(Doug)
#4
Eating a lot less carbohydrates and fasting were both very important in lowering my A1C, I think. Had some fast early weight loss, 40 lbs. in 4 months; probably helped too.
N1coleS
(Nicole Sawchuk)
#7
After 3 years of keto and than a year of consistent fasting, I have just experienced this too. Last October 2017 my a1c was down to 5.1. My goal was to get it below 5.0 so I was really happy about it! Yesterday I got my results back from the doctor and it had risen up to 5.3. First question is what had changed? I started exercising in January. I lift weights about 2 times a week. Since than, my weight has gone up 5 lbs but my measurements went down. I should add that I am at my goal weight (+/- 5 lbs). So while annoying, I assumed it was muscle building. I also began to add more protein to my diet although I am well within the recommended range (in other words I am not eating excessively). I did this because with the addition of exercise, I was getting hungrier more frequently and after experimenting with more fat, I found adding more protein helped me be satiated longer. Plus my daily blood glucose levels dropped even further.
People ask if its carb creep. If anything, I have probably gone even lower in carb now! So I don’t believe it is that.
I had been EF up until last November ( 3 to 5 day fasts per week), but once I got to my goal weight, it got too hard to do. With that said, I still do weekly 42 hour fasts and typically eat in a very tight window (4 hours).
So what could it be? Probably stress has played a role in this. I have been more stressed with work lately. Could be I have a longer life cycle of red blood cells. It is disappointing to see the rise, but I am going to try and not let one data point crush me. In 6 months, I will get another test done and this time I will do my best to force my doctor to test my fasting insulin levels! Not sure why they resist it so much!
Alpha
(Omar)
#8
did your red blood cell live 45 days in both tests?
who knows?
when we talk about small differences, we have to think about the accuracy of the testing device, the compliance to the standard procedure of the person performing the test, the accuracy of the test method it self, and finally the life span of the red blood cells.
If the red blood cells lived longer or shorter than the previous time. for instance losing blood can alter the result.